School 2017 secures its leading bad boy, good boy

What would high school be without its broody bad boys and its all-star golden boys? The leads have now been finalized for School 2017, the seventh installment of KBS’s long-running high school franchise. Joining Gugudan idol Kim Se-jung are rookie actors Kim Jung-hyun (Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People, Jealousy Incarnate) and Jang Dong-yoon (Solomon’s Perjury), who have signed on to headline.

The “fresh and lively coming-of-age drama” will tell the stories of 18-year-olds who have already been pigeonholed by their class ranks. In a world where life after high school seems like it will be no different for them, they’ll challenge that idea with their growth. Kim Se-jung will play the heroine, a cheerful student with good grades and a talent for drawing webtoons, who dreams of dating the college boy she has a crush on. One day she gets mistaken for a delinquent at school, which is only the start of her troubles.

Kim Jung-hyun has been cast to play the rebel, which makes perfect sense since he played the reformed bad boy in Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People and the prickly little brother in Jealousy Incarnate. His character is a rude, prideful, tempestuous student who caused all manner of trouble in America, then transferred to this school and conquered it in a day with one kick. He’s trouble with a capital T, but because his wealthy father is an investor of the school’s foundation, teachers and students alike can’t do much to control him.

Jang Dong-yoon has been cast to play his total opposite, the school’s golden boy graced with good looks, good grades, good leadership, a sense of humor, athleticism, charisma, and a strong sense of justice to boot. Does he also poop rainbows? He seems too perfect to be true. The character is beloved by his classmates and serves as the student body president, but the one thing he doesn’t have is parents with a vested interest in him.

Han Sun-hwa

Jang Dong-yoon was a standout among the newbie cast of Solomon’s Perjury, where he played a similar smart, popular type of character, but with a dark and complex history hidden underneath his perfect facade. It was a strong debut, so I’m not surprised to see him snag a leading role here; both he and Kim Jung-hyun seem pretty perfect for their roles. I know it’s not likely that the jjang and the class president would be friends anytime soon, but I can hope, right?

Han Joo-wan (Blow Breeze), Seol In-ah (Strong Woman Do Bong-soon), and idol group SF9’s Ro-woon are also up to co-star. Additionally, an offer is out to Han Sun-hwa (Radiant Office) to play a police detective who gets demoted for mishandling a case, and ends up assigned to the high school as the school police officer. She’s an ace detective and a stickler for rules, and she’s desperate to get back to the field where she belongs.

Well now I’m curious why the school needs a police officer in the first place, when previous seasons just had teachers and principals. Is she just there to keep the bullies in check, or are there going to be skeletons in people’s closets?

School 2017 airs on Mondays and Tuesdays following Fight My Way in July.

June 7, 2017 at 2:14 AM

June 7, 2017 at 2:20 AM

UNREGISTERED

I just realised Han Sun-hwa plays the girl in Bing Goo!! Forget what I said, I'll take the police officer and bad boy together in a full-length drama. Not in a romance (that would be weird), rather more like the Jang Nara-LJS pair in School 2013).

June 7, 2017 at 2:20 AM

UNREGISTERED

I also find the cop in school thing weird. Ive only seen it in Mystery Queen where Lee Won-geun's char is assigned in a high school and girls lined up to complain about their broken hearts lol. Maybe they do some sort of counselling(?)

June 7, 2017 at 7:15 AM

UNREGISTERED

It is common in the US for public schools, particularily high schools to have an assigned police office or school resouce officer. They enforce laws (drugs), supervise safety (lockdown drills), education programs (anti- bullying, drunk driving), and provide a liaison to community resourses (abuse, child protection). Over half of schools have them and it is encouraged with federal funds.
Story wise it would be more interesting for a school officer to deal with everyday problems rather than a murder mystery for a change.

June 7, 2017 at 8:51 PM

UNREGISTERED

Who says he's too old for this? Go Mori <3

Helping you pray for a normal high school drama for once! XD I just want the School 2017 kids to have normal student problems. Will it be too much if I pray for bromance? I'm not going to live without it!

June 8, 2017 at 12:48 AM

UNREGISTERED

Hmmm, Kim Jung-hyun's age? Finally a rebel I personally can't wait to see. The cop though, perhaps KJH has been cast to play the rebel who is actually a narc and the cop is his colleague that hates him so everyone thinks it's his probie, lol. The gears are starting to move like crazy with plot ideas for me, hehehe.

June 7, 2017 at 2:55 AM

UNREGISTERED

Sera, you've got a good eyes at spotting new talent. I thought it was the rookie actor playing Eop San who would get the attention post Rebel (he's quite attractive and one of a younger cast among the older Hongvengers after all), but in the end Mori snatched the viewers' heart

June 7, 2017 at 5:57 AM

UNREGISTERED

???
It is just like how Woo Bin with his bad boy image and Kim Ji Won as bitchy Rachel stole viewers' heart after Heirs.. ❤ I think the rebellious character or villain always easier to made viewers drawn to.

Eop San - He is actually has more experiences than Mori, I checked his info, I am sure he will go somewhere in the future. Is he actually younger than Yun Kyun Sang in real life?

June 7, 2017 at 2:15 AM

UNREGISTERED

The characters sound cliche but it doesn't matter because I love the two boys!! They're going to be perfect for their roles and give to the cliche that extra factor that will give them dimensions. I just know they can do it.

June 7, 2017 at 2:19 AM

UNREGISTERED

Lol! 'Does he poop rainbows too' lol!
Ever since the 'staff spotlight' I've been really keen on taking note of who wrote which article because I've come to like and respect everyone individually.
Nice piece of writing there girlfriday *courteous Korean style bow?‍♀️

June 7, 2017 at 9:36 PM

June 7, 2017 at 2:42 AM

UNREGISTERED

School drama isn't really my thing, but now I have to check it out (particularly because of KJH in a modern drama). I have never seen Kim Se Jung and Jang Dong Yoon in anything, so I don't have much expectation. If this drama turns out mediocre, I won't be disappointed and if they are doing great then it'll be a pleasure to find new talents in dramaland..

June 7, 2017 at 6:12 AM

UNREGISTERED

Initially I wasn't that hype because I thought Mori will be supportinf cast only, but now with him as the lead, I'm in. Jang Dong Yoon was good in Solomon's Perjury. Now I am relieved to actually see the real potential rookie actors as the leads. How I wished the lead female goes to teen actress like Jin Ji Hee, Jung Da Bin, Kim Ji Min or someone else (even the one acted as Sang Hwa in Rebel could be good choice too). Maybe because they are still underage..

June 7, 2017 at 3:09 AM

UNREGISTERED

Oh, yasss!!! I love this casting. Both Jang Dong-yoon and Kim Jung-hyun show great potential in their respective debut role. And I also have newfound love for Han Sun-hwa after Radiant Office. So I'm super excited with this news. School 2017, fighting!!

June 7, 2017 at 11:23 AM

June 8, 2017 at 1:04 AM

UNREGISTERED

Perhaps there is a student who is an undercover cop, maybe that narc is say in his mid to late twenties. One night she acts disorientated for some other reason than insobriety and he marks her as a potential in to the bad kids. Of course his cover identity is not 'plain clothes' as it were in the US but it is in a high schoolers uniform as the schools gangster. I wish lol!!!

June 7, 2017 at 3:43 AM

UNREGISTERED

Mori!! Welcome back! I mean Kim Jung-hyun. Oh let's face it, he'll always be Mori. Loved him in Rebel (great acting/beautiful face) and I will love him in this, just because. I don't care how the rest of the show goes, I'm in it for him.

June 7, 2017 at 4:41 AM

UNREGISTERED

Jang Dong Yoon was excellent in Solomon's Perjury. Considering it was his first role ever and a main role, I was blown away by his talent. He's a natural actor. I hope his role will be relatively meaty in this drama and I'm looking forward to it!

June 7, 2017 at 6:44 PM

UNREGISTERED

Kim Junghyun's role remind me of Gong Yoo's in Biscuit Teacher but I dont know about the happy go lucky personality. Of course I'll be rooting for the bad guy to end up with the girl.lol This is kdrama after all.

June 8, 2017 at 7:52 PM

UNREGISTERED

OMG! I almost fainted from laughing so hard ... girlfriday's "Does he also poop rainbows?" caught me completely off guard, inconspicuously and thoughtfully placed within the paragraph to make you explode into bouts of laughter ... simply precious! Thank you!!!!! ?